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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Joseph Hanks

Private Joseph Hanks, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Private Joseph Hanks was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 37th Ohio Infantry. Hanks was 20 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on November 19, 1897, 34 years after the action.

Hanks was born on March 22, 1843 in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. Hanks died on December 28, 1922 in North Bend, Nebraska, at the age of 79. He is buried at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend, Nebraska.

Hanks is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

★ Rescue & Lifesaving

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily and under fire went to the rescue of a wounded comrade lying between the lines, gave him water, and brought him off the field.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Chillicothe — map
  • Died: North Bend — map
  • Buried: North Bend — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. March 22, 1843
    Born in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 20. Company E, 37th Ohio Infantry
  3. November 19, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 28, 1922
    Died in North Bend, Nebraska
    Age 79.
  5. Resting place
    Woodland Cemetery
    North Bend, Nebraska

Biography

Joseph Hanks (March 22, 1843 – December 28, 1922) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863.

From the Wikipedia article “Joseph Hanks (soldier)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

Cyrus Sears First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 WV Wilson J. Vance Private · Army Civil War · 1862 LR Lewis A. Rounds Private · Army Civil War · 1864 George V. Kelley Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 OS Otis W. Smith Private · Army Civil War · 1864 AR Alfred Ransbottom First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.